Three-dimensional game board

ABSTRACT

A GAME BOARD COMPRISING EIGHT VERTICALLY ALIGNED AND SPACED HORIZONTAL SLATS, EACH HAVING DEFINED ON ITS UPPER FACE A ROW OF EIGHT SQUARES, ALTERNATE SQUARES BEING OF TWO DIFFERENT COLORS AND THE COLORING EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY OVER AN EDGE OF THE SLAT, WHEREBY THE GAME BOARD PATTERN IS REPRODUCED IN A VERTICAL PLANE FOR CONVENIENT VIEWING.

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THREE-DIMENSIONAL GAME BOARD Filed March 25, 1970 Joseph W Davis M 26 IN VL'NTOR,

7 q BY @zmmi'm /0 g 24 MWa/wey United States Patent M 3,664,671 THREE-DIMENSIONAL GAME BOARD Joseph W. Davis III, 651 Elm St., Buffalo, NY. 14203 Filed Mar. 25, 1970, Ser. No. 22,448 Int. Cl. A63f 3/02 US. Cl. 273-131 AC 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to game boards and more particularly to a three-dimensional checkerboard.

The present invention is a game board for the purpose of playing chess, checkers and any other game played with the standard flat checkerboard. It consists of sixtyfour squares; thirty-two of one color and thirty-two of another color arranged alternately, eight to a rank. There are eight ranks singly disposed in vertical alignment to form a three-dimensional equivalent of a fiat checkerboard.

The vertical placement of the ranks distinguishes this game board from other similar boards. The unique design allows for the playing of any game which can be played on the standard flat checkerboard but with a completely new dimensional perspective, and with no change in the rules of the particular adopted game. Game piece movements are simply from one square to another, but in horizontal and vertical directions. For use by novice and proficient players of all ages, this unique game board adds both novelty and challenge to all games played on the standard flat checkerboard.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present game board.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along a plane passing through section line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view illustrating the present game board with playing pieces positioned thereon.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly FIG. 1, the game board of the present invention is seen to be generally ladershaped. The game board includes a base member 10 preferably made from clear plastic. The base member includes oppositely disposed side edges 12 and 14 which perpendicularly mount vertically disposed rails 16 and 18, respectively. Attachment of the rails to the base member may be accomplished by heat treating or gluing at the lower edges 20 and 22 which overlie the oppositely disposed base edges 12 and 14, respectively.

As noted in FIG. 2, eight rectangularly shaped slats are positioned in parallel spaced relation to base member 10 and perpendicularly bridge the rails 16 and 18 to which the slats are attached.

The lower slat 24 is suitably attached to the upper surface of base member 10 while the other upwardly disposed slats 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36 and 38 are sufliciently spaced from one another so that playing pieces positioned on the slats can be manipulated during a game. The top slat 38 is offset with respect on the upper edges 40 of rails 16 and 18.

3,664,671 Patented May 23, 1972 The slats are preferably fabricated from plastic and each slat includes adjacent squares having alternating colors such as indicated by squares 42 and 44 in FIG. 3. Each of the slats represents a rank in a conventional checkerboard. Therefore, the eight vertically spaced slats represent the eight adjacent ranks that comprise an entire fiat conventional checkerboard.

The color of each square extends along the edges of the slats as indicated by 46 in FIG. 3. This provision is desirable so that the players can determine the color of the squares while viewing the ladder-shaped game board at an elevational angle.

Although the figures indicate that the base member 10 and rails 16 and 18 are fabricated from clear plastic material in order to maximize a three-dimensional effect, colored plastic may be employed if desired.

Referring to FIG. 3 playing pieces representing one opponent are generally indicated by reference numeral 48. These playing pieces are, for example, the conventional chess pieces positioned on the upper two ranks 36 and 38. Likewise, the opposite opponent has his playing pieces 50 arranged on the bottom two ranks 24 and 26. Thus, with the playing pieces disposed as illustrated in FIG. 3, the players are ready to commence their game of chess.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention is explained as utilizing clear plastic, it should be emphasized that the material to be used in fabricating the game board is in no way limited to plastic since the board could equally well be fabricated from paper, wood, metal or other suitable material.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. (Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalent may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A tier shaped game board comprising:

a plurality of aligned and vertically spaced substantially horizontal parallel slats, each of said slats equally divided on a face thereof into a row of positions upon which playing pieces may be stationed, adjacent positions on said slats having alternating first and second identifying markings, vertically aligned positions on adjacent slats having alternate first and second identifying markings, said markings extending onto a vertical edge of said slats, whereby the alternating pattern of said markings is reproduced in a vertical plane for convenient viewing; and

a pair of vertically upstanding side rails, each of said slats secured to and bridging said side rails with the faces of said slats facing upwardly.

2. A tier shaped game board, as claimed in claim 1, comprising eight slats, each of said slats having eight playing piece positions thereon.

3. A tier shaped game board, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the eight playing piece positions on each slat comprise adjacent squares.

4. A tier shaped game board, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first identifying mark is a first color and said second identifying mark is a second color.

5. A tier shaped game board, as claimed in claim 1, including a base member for supportingly attaching the lower ends of said side rails thereto.

6. A tier shaped game board comprising:

eight aligned and vertically and equally spaced substantially horizontal parallel slats, each of said slats equally divided on a face thereof into a row of eight adjacent squares having alternating first and second colors upon which playing pieces may be stationed, vertically aligned squares on adjacent slats having alternate first and second colors, said colors extending onto a vertical edge of said slats whereby the alternating pattern of said colors is reproduced in a vertical plane for convenient viewing; and

a pair of vertically upstanding side rails attached to and spaced apart by said slats with the faces of said slats facing upwardly, the upper ends of said side rails extending slightly above the uppermost slat to prevent playing pieces from falling 01f the ends thereof, and a substantially planar base member extending between and secured to the lower ends of said side rails, said base member extending beyond said slats in a direction normal to the major dimension of said slats to stabilize the game board.

4 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,464,701 9/1969 Mahoney 273-131 B 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 163,161 5/1921 Great Britain.

67,056 11/1943 Norway. 1,039,108 8/1966 Great Britain.

10 OTHER REFERENCES Time Magazine, Feb. 4, 1952, p. 15 cited.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner 15 US. Cl. X.R. 273136 R 

